In order to milk and feed the animals in an efficient manner, the construction in accordance with the invention is characterized in that, in the area where the animals can move freely, it includes a system of portals including doors, gates or similar means which open in one direction for defining the path and the direction in which the animals can walk to the milking stall or compartment. Dual doors, gates or similar means in accordance with the invention comprise entry means via which animals can go from one area, e.g., a shed or a pasture, to another shed or pasture. The expression "which open in one direction" refers to the direction in which the animals can pass through such openings.
When animals are being automatically milked, it is important that between consecutive milkings the animals feel comfortable. Hence, the invention also relates to a construction for automatically milking animals, such as cows, comprising a milking parlor having stalls or compartments arranged to receive a milking robot, and an area where the animals can move about freely, the construction being characterized in that the area includes a shed with cubicles for the animals, the shed furthermore being arranged so that the animals can optionally stay in a pasture adjacent to the shed or in the cubicles. By providing a system of doors or gates which open in one direction, it should be appreciated that the animals circulate through the shed and the pasture in one direction. Also, the shed, and optionally the pasture, can be subdivided into several areas so that it becomes possible to check on the progress of the animals' movement through the shed and optionally through the pasture to the milking robot, by counting the number of animals present in such a subdivided area or region at a given moment. To effect the desired progression by the animals through the shed and optionally through the pasture, the invention also relates to a construction for automatically milking animals, such as cows, comprising a milking parlor comprising one or two compartments arranged to receive a milking robot, and an area or region where the animals can freely move about, the construction then being characterized in that a radio system with aerial and loudspeaker is attached to each animal, which system operates in a manner so that, if too many animals are concentrated in one place, they are encouraged by sounds from the loudspeaker to move in one direction through the area, particularly a shed or a pasture adjacent thereto towards and to the milking robot.
When an animal finally reaches the milking parlor, having passed through various areas or regions on its way thereto, particularly through the shed and optionally through the pasture, the teats or udder or both must be cleaned before the animal is milked. Although several processes for cleaning the teats are known, the present invention provides a new manner of cleaning. To that end, the invention relates to a construction for automatically milking animals, such as cows, comprising a milking compartment having a milking robot, and an area in which the animals can freely move about, the construction then being characterized in that it includes a cleaning member for cleaning the teats of the animals, that is capable of rotating about a shaft which extends in the longitudinal direction of the stall.
To enable a fast and efficient milking of the animals, the milking parlor includes, according to the invention, at least two adjacently arranged milking compartments and the milking robot is installed so that the robot head can be received in the first compartment from one side and in the second compartment from another side. In a specific embodiment, the milking parlor comprises two compartments arranged beside each other, the milking robot entering the first compartment from a right-hand side and in the second compartment from a left-hand side. According to the invention, the construction is implemented whereby, during milking of a first animal in one compartment, a second animal can enter the other compartment. Thus it is achieved that both animals can be milked one after the other with the aid of the same set of teat cups. The milking robot is consequently being employed in an optimum manner.
In an advantageous embodiment, between the two milking box compartments there is present a straight guide, along which the milking robot is movable. This provides a set-up of the milking robot, which is extremely suitable to allow pivoting of the robot head into both compartments.
According to the invention, the milking robot has a frame which is movable along the straight guide and is adjustable in height, and to which the robot head is pivotably attached in boat milking compartments. With the aid of a first operating piston and cylinder, the frame can be moved along the straight guide. In an advantageous embodiment, the frame includes a first parallelogram structure which is operative in a substantial vertical plane and has a carrier, which is adjustable in height by a second operating piston and cylinder, for the robot head. Further there may be present a second parallelogram structure which is operative in a substantial horizontal plane and by means of which the robot head is pivotably connected to the carrier. Because of the movability of fire milking robot in the longitudinal direction passing between the two compartments, the adjustability in height of the robot head in each of the adjacent milking compartments, a milking robot set-up is obtained in which it becomes possible to move the robot head in an efficient manner to under the udder of the animal waiting in one of the compartments. The second parallelogram structure may include a third operating piston and cylinder for rotating the robot head about an upwardly directed shaft relative to the frame. This rotational feature, in combination with the lateral pivotal feature of the robot head and the motion of the robot head in the longitudinal direction of the milking parlor compartments, enables a positioning of the robot head under the udder in such a manner that the teat cups can be connected in an efficient manner, one after the other, by an upward motion to the teats of the animal present in the relevant compartment. For pivoting the robot head in the two compartments, a fourth operating; piston and cylinder is present, which is connected to the upwardly movable portion of the milking robot, and more in particular to the said carrier. To ensure that, independently of the position of the legs of the animal in a milking parlor compartment, the robot head can be moved without problems to under the animal's udder, it is, in accordance with the invention, advantageous when the construction includes one or more sensors for determining the distance of the robot head to one or more legs of an animal present in a milking parlor compartment. The sensor or sensors for the determination of the distance of the robot head to one or more legs of an animal present in a milking parlor compartment are preferably provided on the robot head itself. The sensor is preferably constituted by a laser telemeter. This laser telemeter may be provided on a laser trait located on the robot head for determining the position of the teats of an animal present in a milking parlor compartment.
In order to effect successive cleaning of the teats and milking of the animals in an efficient manner, it is also advantageous to utilize the dual parlor, i.e., a milking stall which comprises two adjacently arranged milking compartments. The invention therefore also relates to a construction for automatically milking animals, such as cows, comprising a milking parlor or milking compartments and a milking robot having a robot head which acts as a carrier for one or more teat cups, the construction then being characterized in that it includes a cleaning member for cleaning the teats of the animals, which is disposed in such a manner that it can pivot to a milking compartment on the one side and to a milking parlor compartment one the other side. By arranging both the milking robot proper and the cleaning member in such a manner that they are pivotal between the two milking compartments, it becomes possible to pivot the cleaning member to under the udder of an animal in one compartment and, during subsequent cleaning of the teats, to pivot the milking robot arm carrying the teat cups to under an animal present in the other compartment or to keep it there, so that cleaning of an animal can basically be effected simultaneously with milking of an other animal.
For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: